Knowing the God Who Acts
To the ends of the earth - Acts 14:8-20a (NET) - Pastor Curt Isaacson
Romans 1:20
“For since the creation of the world his invisible attributes—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen because they are understood through what has been made. So people are without excuse.”
Just before 8:00 am on January 12, 2007, a middle-aged man dressed in jeans, a long sleeved t-shirt, and a ball cap entered a subway station in Washington D.C. He opened his violin case, pulled out the instrument, and played for 45 minutes. Footage records only 7 people stopping for more than a minute to take in the music. Children appeared to be the ones most interested in lingering. When he finished, the violinist collected the 32 odd dollars that had been tossed in his case by a mere 27 people, and left.
Of the thousands of street performers who take up positions around the country every day, what makes this one so memorable? Because it wasn’t just any violinist, and it wasn’t just any violin. It was Joshua Bell, one of the most celebrated violinists of our age, playing a $3.5 million violin made by Antonio Stradivari over 300 years ago. Only one person that morning recognized Bell as being the same violinist who just two days earlier had sold out a major concert hall with ticket prices exceeding $100.
This now-famous social experiment arranged by Bell and The Washington Post illustrates something about today’s text. While Joshua Bell didn’t tell people he would be playing that day in the subway, his playing was a clear witness to the kind of musician he is, certainly deserving of more than 7 people giving him a minute of their day.
In today’s episode, we’ll see that God likewise shows up unexpectedly in an unexpected place, but he doesn’t arrive without a clear witness to his greatness.
